Tuesday, 21 May 2013

ASOFY is one of those
projects that has been simmering away for over a decade, perfecting
it's sound, and occasionally surfacing to release something
interesting before fading away again. The band's second full length
album, 'Perceszione' is a blend of ambient black metal, doom, avant
garde and prog elements. It's an album of dichotomies. On one hand
its sombre and melodic, and on the other hand its jarring and
discordant. But it works.

Weighing in at 48
minutes-long across four tracks, it may at first seem like it will be
a dense and thankless listen. But it does have its rewards to reap.
The opening song 'Luminosità'
is s haunting and melancholic piece that is still light and easy to
loose yourself in. The reverberating guitars and repetitive melodies
twist and reform themselves hypnotically while the disturbed vocals
chant and bark overhead. 'Saturazione' carries on down this stylistic
path somewhat in terms of its use of reverb and repetitive melodies.
But ventures into heavier, more doom-laden territory to evoke a more
claustrophobic and menacing atmosphere. 'Ombra' is more assured in
it's black metal leaning. However the ambient side of the band is
always present and ready to take over sharply with a more haunting
guitar melody. Finally, 'Oscurità'
is a spiralling mix of muffled vocals and melancholic guitars that
ebbs and flows between a faster black metal pace and a slower
dreamlike one.

In
terms of production its a rather raw affair but rather technically.
The mix throws in a few interesting tricks like keeping the vocals
low and having rather sharp cuts between the raw and soft edges. Even
the way the songs progress almost feel as though they have their
roots in classical music.

The
song lengths may put some off. As may the band's emphasis on
atmosphere and emotion rather than catchy hooks. But this is an album
for those who appreciate opposites in music. The melodic and the
discordant come together so well under the band's direction. Fans of
Filosofem era Burzum as well as the likes of Caïna
will want to give this a listen.